


Out of the Box

by alakeofstars



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Androids, Comfort, Drabble, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28361793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alakeofstars/pseuds/alakeofstars
Summary: “Okay. Would you like for me to cuddle you?” Yukhei asks again.You pause and then nod. “Can you hold me? Do you know what spooning is?”“Yes,” he says and there’s something in his tone that feels like he is teasing you, but you don’t dare ask if he knows how to do that.— Hiatus
Relationships: Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas/Reader
Kudos: 41





	1. Out of the Box

“Yukhei,” you say to the figure in the dark. 

The android does not jolt as he comes out of sleep mode. Instead, his eyes open and he smiles in greeting, bright and happy, but it’s brief; the smile softens as he registers the time. It’s late and there’s no way you could have gotten a full night’s rest. 

“Hello,” he says, his voice gentle and soft. “Did you have a bad dream? We can talk about it, if you would like. I am programmed and licensed to provide psychotherapy in the following modalities: CBT, CBT-I, EMDR —“

“No,” you cut him off. With anyone else, with a human, it would have been rude and you begin to feel guilty until he smiles again. 

“How may I help?” He asks. 

“You can’t sleep out here.”

“Of course I can. My sleep mode can engage —“

“The couch isn’t comfortable. Come to bed,” you say, sounding more firm and confident in this decision than you feel. 

Yukhei stands smoothly and follows you as you return to the bedroom. 

“You can have the right side. Um,” you hesitate, “maybe sleep on top of the covers tonight. Is that okay?”

“I do not get cold,” the android says cheerfully and you watch him as he takes his place on the empty side of your bed, his long legs stretching out over the covers. 

“Okay. Okay, good.” You slip out of your robe and hang it up, then return to bed, turning off the light. 

Maybe this was a bad idea, you think. You’ve never been someone who has dated a lot to begin with, so having someone stay the night, sleeping in your bed, isn’t something you’re used to. Why did you think you could possibly relax with an android — brand new, just out of the box — laying next to you?

“Would you like to cuddle?” Yukhei asks suddenly and you laugh, turning your head to look at him. In the dim light, he has the soft smile from earlier, when he was offering to talk through your nightmares with you. 

“Do you know how to cuddle?”

“Yes, I am —“

“Yukhei,” you cut him off. “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain your features every time I ask you a question. You can say yes or no. Okay?”

He blinks in the dark and you wonder if he is adding your request to his memory or updating a setting or something. 

“Okay. Would you like for me to cuddle you?” Yukhei asks again. 

You pause and then nod. “Can you hold me? Do you know what spooning is?”

“Yes,” he says and there’s something in his tone that feels like he is teasing you, but you don’t dare ask if he knows how to do that. Instead, you turn onto your side and allow him to fold around you, his knees tucking behind yours, his arm draped over your side. 

“Is my temperature all right?” Yukhei’s deep voice is soft your ear and you have to fight the urge to shiver as something in your back tickles. 

“I thought you didn’t get cold,” you whisper back. 

“I don’t but I can adjust to feel warmer or cooler for you, and I can remember up to ten preferences.”

“Warmer please,” you say and it doesn’t take long for you to feel a steady heat where your body touches his. 

As strange as it is — and it’s very strange, you can’t get around it, there was never a moment in your life when you imagined spooning in bed with an android — there’s something incredibly comforting about his arms around you, his warm body pressed against yours. His head shares your pillow with you and you close your eyes, allow yourself to scoot back and closer and when you do, Yukhei tightens his hold. 

“This is good,” you murmur. “Remember this.”

“Of course,” he breathes in your ear and for a moment, you forget what he is.


	2. Sick Day

“You’re running a fever,” Yukhei says, his lips ghosting across your forehead. If you were feeling better, you’d wonder about that: are they really more sensitive to your temperature then, say, his palm? Or did he want to check there, that way? Is it possible for him to want that? 

Two fingers press against your wrist and when Yukhei leans back, you could see the slight frown on his face before he glances up and catches you watching him. A smooth, easy smile replaces it quickly. 

“Your pulse is elevated, too. You should be in bed. Let me clear your schedule for today.”

You’re a workaholic — world renowned for it, surely — but you’re too sick and too tired to fight him on his suggestion. He would cajole and insist (he’s been doing that a lot lately, when he is trying hard to take care of you and you’re trying just as hard to resist) and at the end of it all, it’d be a wasted five minutes you could have spent laying down already. So you nod and let him guide you to your room, his hand on the small of your back in a way that is both firm and comforting all at once. 

“Back into your pajamas,” Yukhei murmurs after he has you sit on the bed and you watch as he goes to the dresser and plucks out a pair of leggings and t-shirt. “Do you want socks?”

“No,” you breathe, brows furrowing at the idea. Hell is a pair of socks while feverish.

“Too hot?” 

“My god, yes,” you say and start tugging at the hem of the shirt you put on earlier, back when you foolishly thought you would go into the office. When did undressing become such a struggle? 

“I’ve got it,” he says softly, setting your bed clothes down next to you and making short work of the shirt before turning politely so you can shed your pants and underclothes. His hands clench briefly and then relax at his sides. “I canceled your meetings and suggested dates and times to reschedule next week to give you time to recover,” he says to the wall, turning his head slightly but not daring to look.

“Thank you.” 

“I also notified your doctor of your symptoms. I’d like to continue monitoring you throughout the day — is it that all right? I promise not to wake you.”

There’s an edge in his voice and you can see tension in his shoulders. This is the first time he’s seen you sick, you realize, and then you smile: he’s become a bit of a worrier since you made edits to his personality settings. Something in your chest tightens expectedly; it’s sweet for him to be concerned about you. You can’t remember the last time someone cared as much as he does. 

“That’s fine,” you answer as you stand and tug on the leggings. “Yukhei?”

“Yes?” He turns and reaches for your arms, as if you were fragile, his hands there to steady you on your feet. 

“Thank you for taking care of me,” you say softly, offering him a small, tired smile that he returns immediately. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Ah,” he scoffs with a faint blush but his smile widens, reaching his eyes now, and he leans in to press his lips to your forehead again, not at all to re-check your temperature but only to kiss you gently. “I will always take care of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and for any kudos left. Quarantine has been a lonely business.


End file.
